internet connectivity, programs yes, browser no

[commentator8]

I have a computer (details below) which shows its connected to the net in network and sharing center, outlook and skype connect fine but browsers and windows update/mse/malawarebytes dont. I am almost positive that it is not a virus, but have run a malawarebytes scan in case. The issue began 3 years back (they didn't require internet till now) upon installing a web filtering program (not a known one) and having it crash midway through the install. I have run "complete internet repair", manual winsock fix, hijack this, autoruns (and checked the drivers - k9 has one there), win.ini from an off reference from a site, uninstalled the latest windows update (sp1), put a manual dns server entry, reset tcp stack and other varieties thereoff "netsh int ip reset", checked the host file, proxy settings, reset windows services to default, confirmed the tcp ip settings are valid (and default), the firewall is off and likely other things. It is currently connected to my own connection.

I have tried firefox, https in ie, reset ie settings, windows safe mode, sfc /scannow, a different internet connection, wired/wireless, tcp optimiser. Ping works and skype etc, but not browsers. System restore is out of the question as it was three years ago. I have also tried a new user account.

That said, when i try and open a web site it sits at waiting for/ website found waiting for "" till it times out (IE cannot display the webpage). This also occurs if i use an ip (google's etc). Windows update/mse and malawarebytes, but skype and outlook work fine. Seems to imply a port issue. Norton/macaffee/zonealarm/etc are not installed, and add or remove programs has no security programs that i can see.

Any ideas of what it could be?



Toshiba
Vista SP2/1 (uninstalled) Home Premium 32 bit

 

[sassenach]

It might be worth running Remove Norton Antivirus just in case its been on there and left a few hidden remnants.

It might also be worth checking that Vista hasn't confused itself by attempting to run the same network more than once. Have a look in Network and Sharing Centre and see if it is showing something like wifi1 wifi2 wifi3 etc. If it is, merge these together, delete any wifi locations you are not using and try again.

 

[commentator8]

Already ran Norton remover (since my last post), and there is just the one network. Also running SAS complete scan just in case, but nothing on the quick scan.

 

[iisjman07]

Try the McAfee removal tool; had a machine in a couple days ago with the same symptoms and as expected it was a remnant of McAfee's firewall.

 

[Paul Rodgers]

Just throwing things out there.

NIC or WiFi drivers? Reinstall

Check the registry.

Honestly if you make an image of the drive beforehand a system restore might work.

Could UAC cause this?

Try a Linux live cd to rule out the NIC/WIFI may be a good idea to run it in virtual PC too.

 

[Techlogon]

Interesting one, does sound like a corrupt firewall issue, only other suggestions would be:

check for dodgy filters in network connection properties
check services and drivers for likely culprits e.g.under Hidden devices/Non Plug and play drivers - bckd for K9 or mpfirewl for McAfee

Run mcafee removal tool - comodo and zonealarm removal tools wouldn't hurt too.

If K9 driver is still there then contact K9 support or even try reinstalling it to see if repairs itself, then you could uninstall it properly.

 

[Martyn]

When you ping the websites you have problems with, does the name resolve to ip? Treble check the hosts file. Also run up Wireshark(if you know how to use it) and see whats going on at frame/packet level if the other ideas don't get you anywhere. If it's not a resolution problem I think it is a firewall/blocking of an old program.

 

[commentator8]

@Paul I was considering reinstalling the drivers, but with lack of (easy) internet i didn't in the end. Unlikely seeing how it occurs accross both, but good idea. Restore is out of the question as there are only 10 odd points, back a few weeks. UAC is off, and the registry is a big place....

@Techlogon If only it was k9, as an admin 1 minute with autoruns and you are home free... No other filters there, or services or drivers.

@Martyn The complete internet repair program (originally sourced here actually) does all the basics, tpc stack/firewall reset/host file etc. So the host file is good. Wireshark sounds like it could help.

At this stage the client has the computer back, as they didnt want to invest too much time in repairing it (prefer n&p at that). It is more the challange in seeing what the heck went wrong. So any and all ideas will likely get tried in a week when i get it back.


Thanks!

 

[Paul Rodgers]

Yeah I was drawing straws. If it was XP I would have suggested a repair install. Very weird.

 

[computerdoc]

I had a very similar situation and found that the browsers came back after uninstalling k9.

 

[Shark]

Go into Device Manager and 'show hidden', find the device that looks out of place or related to the other program you removed, and uninstall it.

Sometimes a device driver gets installed with a program that acts as a filter, like some net capture programs, and upon uninstalling the program it fails to remove that particular filter driver.

If you can, give us a list of the hidden devices you have in the device manager.

 

[commentator8]

There is an oddity in hidden devices in device manager, amongst the network devices there is one called isatap.{A559524D-6733-4951-8287-19BC50CC28C1} that is there (same name) about 30 times. But at this point in doing a N&P.

Btw, i ran comodo and mcafee removers also.

Thanks all.